I thought they would be impressed, and at last regard me as one who had attained Interesting status, on a par with Johnny Depp and the lost city of El Dorado. MPs, after all, are interesting. Every time they leap upon a loved one from atop a wardrobe it makes the front page of The Times.

Sadly, my children opined that it can hardly be regarded as interesting having me as a mother, when I am the only mother they have ever known. This was said in tones of wistful regret, a sort of abstract mourning for all of the other more interesting mothers they might have had. When I looked downcast another added that I lacked the essential tools of fame, an admiring crowd.

So, I resolved to acquire one at once. But where? There are crowds who would follow me home from the surgery, given half a chance, as you too will know if you have ever been pursued relentlessly around a department store by a hypochondriac with a sore throat and an unsigned passport application. I am sure they would be interested if I leapt off the wardrobe - whatever I was wearing - but the children say it doesn't count as a crowd if it goes away as soon as you give it antibiotics.

So that brings me to my column, route to the entire GP electorate of the UK. You could save me. You elected me - or a couple of you did - yet apart from the weekly email about punctuation I have little contact with my Readers.

I suspect the problem is that you are both generally asleep before reaching the end, so I am suggesting in the middle of this one that if you would like to raise any pressing matters then please do tell me.

It was probably Cecil Parkinson, or maybe Peter Mandelson, who said they were here to serve. I accept that imitating either of them is unlikely to have you flocking to my soap box, but the flesh is willing. So get in touch about those pressing educational and ethical matters and I shall do my best. And, maybe, as the emails pour in, my children will be impressed.

Catch up with Mary's Road to Revalidation blog